Tischendorf rediscovers the Codex Sinaiticus at Saint Catherine's Monastery
- When
- 1859
- Where
- Saint Catherine's Monastery
- Episodes
- 3
Constantin von Tischendorf visited Saint Catherine's Monastery in 1859 under Tsar Alexander II's patronage, recovering the Codex Sinaiticus. The manuscript, a fourth-century Greek Bible, had been partially seen in 1844. Tischendorf claimed to find it in a waste basket, though this account is disputed. The removal occurred in September 1859, leaving the monastery without an archbishop, complicating the legality of the gift to the Tsar.
Episodes
- Recovery of the Codex Sinaiticus
Tischendorf recovered the Codex Sinaiticus, a fourth-century Greek Bible, claiming it was found in a waste basket, though this account is disputed.
- 1859 Expedition to Saint Catherine's Monastery
Tischendorf visited the monastery in January 1859 under Tsar Alexander II's patronage to search for manuscripts, specifically aiming to find more of the Codex Frederico-Augustanus.
- Removal and Legal Dispute
The manuscript was removed in September 1859, but the lack of an archbishop at the time prevented a legal gift to the Tsar.
Background and detail
Background. Saint Catherine's Monastery, built by order of Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, is located in the Sinai Peninsula. It became a significant pilgrimage site after relics of Catherine of Alexandria were transferred there. The monastery encloses the Chapel of the Burning Bush and the Well of Moses. Tischendorf first visited in May 1844, discovering leaves of parchment in a waste basket, which later formed part of the Codex Sinaiticus.
Prior Visits. Tischendorf's initial 1844 visit yielded only some leaves. Archimandrite Porphyrius Uspensky visited in 1845 and saw additional folios. Tischendorf returned in 1853 to retrieve the remaining 86 folios but failed. These earlier encounters established the manuscript's presence but did not result in its full recovery until the 1859 expedition, which was supported by the Russian government.
Dispute Over Removal. The legality of the manuscript's removal was questioned because the monastery lacked an archbishop in September 1859. Although the intention to present the manuscript to Tsar Alexander II was expressed, no legal gift could be made at that time. Resolution was delayed by the turbulent reign of Archbishop Cyril, who was consecrated in December 1859.
People involved
- Constantin von Tischendorf · German Biblical scholar and manuscript hunter
- Tsar Alexander II of Russia · Patron of Tischendorf's 1859 expedition
- Archimandrite Porphyrius Uspensky · Head of Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem
- Archbishop Cyril · Archbishop of Saint Catherine's Monastery
Sources
- Codex Sinaiticus Wikipedia, revision of 2026-07-30
- Saint Catherine's Monastery Wikipedia
- Constantin von Tischendorf Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-03
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.